Liu pauses 2026-27 season.
Olympic champion figure skater Liu pauses 2026-27 season to focus on personal growth.
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Key Points
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She will skip the U.S. Championships in Utah in January and the World Championships in Finland in March during her 2026-27 break.
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Liu has not competed since the Milan Cortina Olympics and has only performed on the Stars on Ice tour; she was anticipated to skate at Skate America 2026 but ultimately chose to take the season off.
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Away from skating, she enrolled at UCLA to study psychology and spent time hiking in the Himalayas, illustrating a broader personal exploration during breaks from the sport.
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Her Bay Area homecoming after Milan Cortina was chaotic at times, with autograph seekers crowding her and prompting a request for fans to show more respect.
Alysa Liu, the 21-year-old Olympic champion who won gold in both team and individual events at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, announced she will skip the 2026-27 figure skating season. Reuters reported that Liu plans to sit out competition to recalibrate her technique and let her artistry develop before returning in 2027-28.
Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic singles gold since 2002. She will continue training during her break with longtime Bay Area coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, focusing on spins, jumps, and overall artistry rather than taking a full retirement from the sport.
Competitions Liu Will Miss During Hiatus
The American skater will skip major competitions during her 2026-27 break. Headtopics reported that Liu will not compete at the U.S. Championships in Utah next January or the World Championships in Finland in March. She has not competed since Milan Cortina and has only appeared on the Stars on Ice tour since the Olympics.
Liu was initially expected to skate at Skate America 2026 but ultimately decided to take the entire season off. The decision emphasizes personal growth and technical development over immediate competition.
Training Plans and Coaching Continuity
Liu will not abandon training during her competitive hiatus. She remains committed to working with her Bay Area coaches to improve specific technical elements. The focus will be on refining her spins, jumps, and artistic expression before her planned 2027-28 comeback.
This targeted approach balances rest with skill development, avoiding both full retirement and constant competition pressure. Liu has previously struggled with burnout and made multiple comebacks, making this measured break a strategic choice for her long-term career.
Life Beyond the Ice During Break
Liu's time away from competition includes broader personal exploration. She enrolled at UCLA to study psychology, reflecting her interests beyond figure skating. She has also spent time hiking in the Himalayas, illustrating a commitment to personal growth and well-being during her break.
Her post-Olympics homecoming proved chaotic at times, with fans and autograph seekers crowding her at local events. Liu publicly requested that fans show more respect for her personal space, highlighting the intensity of being a hometown Olympic champion in the Bay Area.
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